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Parents Choose Charter School after successful execution of parent trigger

After successfully executing the parent trigger option at Desert Trails Elementary school in Adelanto, California, and the protracted legal battle which followed, parents have selected a charter school to take over the failing public school. "I'm excited and happy that we're finally able to move forward and provide a better education for students," said Doreen Diaz, a parent who led the pro-charter campaign.

Parents chose to transform Desert Trails Elementary into a LaVerne Elementary Preparatory Academy, which operates a charter school in Hesperia over the other option, the Lewis Center for Educational Research in Apple Valley. LaVerne founder Debra Tarver said "Well, we're ecstatic about this,". "My team and I, we've all spoken quite intensely about this and we're ready to go in there and bring that community and school together, roll up our sleeves and get those kids where they need to be."

The Adelanto Teachers’ Union, as expected, is not happy about the changes taking place at the school. 180 parents signed the parent trigger petition last year, meaning that those 180 parents were eligible to vote. LaVerne won by garnering 53 votes. "Fifty-three votes cast the direction of the school," said LaNita M. Dominique, president of the Adelanto teachers' union. "That's a little disheartening." Adelanto school board president Carlos Mendoza, believes this is indicative of low support for the trigger option. He also stated, however, that the school board would comply with the law.

Parents disagree. "I'm doing it for our kids," said Kathy Duncan, the mother of two students at the school. "It's a long time coming. They have sabotaged our kids." That sentiment is understandable, as 75% of the 670 students at Desert Trails are unable to read and write. Doreen Diaz, the parent who led the campaign for reform, accused Principal David Mobley of discouraging parents from voting. He chose to hold a school board election skating party at the same time as the charter school selection vote.

This was a true test of the mettle of empowered parents. They fought for better education of their children, and got it. By the time the new school year begins in August, the charter school will have taken over and, hopefully, students will be on the road to success.

On behalf of our activist community, I urge you to contact your senators and ask them to support the Student Empowerment Act, S. 3102, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). This bill will further expand 529 education savings accounts to include K-12 elementary and secondary school expenses for public, private, and religious schools, including homeschool students.

“And at the U.S. Department of Education, Common Core is dead.”
This is music to the ears of advocates for federalism, school choice, and, frankly, for student success everywhere. These words came directly from U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos last week at a conference in DC titled “Bush-Obama School Reform: Lessons Learned,” held by the free-enterprise think tank American Enterprise Institute.

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. Despite opposition from teachers’ unions, DeVos was able to get the nomination with a confirmation vote from Vice President Mike Pence. There have been many arguments for and against her candidacy for the nomination, but now she is US Secretary of Education. With her nomination, there are various positives to look forward to that could be of great benefit to education reform. The most prominent one being: increasing school choice.

As the recent hearing in the Texas legislature shows, the school choice debate is far from over. The Texas House of Representatives faces pressure from public school administrators and teachers unions on one end and school choice proponents on the other.

Last month's proposed rules on school accountability are yet another reminder that it’s time for federal bureaucrats at the Department of Education to get their hands out of our education system. In its latest power grab, the department seeks to enact top-down measures that would remove authority from the hands of teachers, school districts, and state government. The regulation would impose Education Department-mandated accountability measures promulgating federal government oversight over student and school achievement.

Yesterday's proposed rules on school accountability are yet another reminder that it’s time for federal bureaucrats at the Department of Education to get their hands out of our education system. In its latest power-grab, the department seeks to enact top-down measures that would remove authority from the hands of teachers, school districts, and state government. The regulation would impose Education Department-mandated accountability measures promulgating federal government oversight over student and school achievement.

Governor Kate Brown of Oregon has just signed a bill (HB 2655) that would allow parents to opt their children out of the standardized tests that have come as part of the Common Core education standards in the state. Parents can cite any reason they choose for their opt-out decision, and the state is required to inform them ahead of time of their options.

One of the most exciting school choice options for parents just got a big boost in Nevada, with Governor Brian Sandoval signing into law the most comprehensive Education Savings Account plan in the country.

As Scott Walker tours the country on his campaign for the presidency, he has not forsaken his state, turning in a budget that would make important reforms in education policy. It’s beyond the scope of this piece to analyze the budget in full - it contains rather more spending and borrowing than most conservatives would like - but in the area of education reform it takes some pretty important steps forward.

Children are unique little snowflakes. Each one is different, with their own strengths, weaknesses and personalities. What’s more, they’re flexible, meaning that there’s not a single approach that works best for any given child. There are a wide variety of educational styles that can work equally well in molding a functional and successful young adult, right?